What to check before buying land in Idaho
A working checklist covering water, septic, access, utilities, title and zoning, with the questions that actually change the price.
Water
- Is there an existing well, and is there a filed log for it?
- What did nearby wells have to drill, and what did they yield?
- Get two or more written per-foot quotes from licensed Idaho drillers.
- Ask specifically what the quote excludes: casing, pump, pressure tank, electrical.
Septic
- Which public health district covers the parcel? Septic is permitted by district, not county.
- Has a site evaluation ever been done? Ask for the paperwork.
- What does the district require before it will issue a permit?
- Is there any chance the site needs an engineered system rather than a conventional drainfield?
Ask about these
- Ask your health district what a site evaluation involves and what it costs - requirements and fees differ by district and change over time.
Access and utilities
- Is access legal and recorded, or is it a handshake across a neighbor’s field?
- Is an approach permit needed from the county highway district?
- How far is power, and what will the extension cost beyond the utility allowance?
- Is there any chance of a shared driveway or maintenance agreement?
Ask about these
- Ask Idaho Power what line-extension allowance applies and what you pay per foot beyond it.
Title, boundaries and rights
- Order a title report and read the exceptions, not just the summary.
- Are water rights recorded, and do they actually convey with the parcel?
- Is listed acreage from a survey, or from a tax record?
- Are there easements, and do you know where they run?
Zoning and what you may build
- Confirm permitted uses and setbacks with county planning and zoning in writing.
- Ask whether the parcel is a legal lot of record.
- Check any subdivision covenants separately; they can be stricter than zoning.
Check a specific location
See the well records the state holds near any point in Idaho — free, no account.
Open the well lookup